Mon, 09/12/2011 - 13:31

Woodbine: A walk down the aisle, a trip to the winner's circle

Michael Burns
Reconnect (left) wins the La Prevoyante. "I can honestly tell you, I don’t really know which one I was more excited about," said trainer Ashlee Brnjas, who got married Saturday.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – There are memorable days, and then there are days like the one experienced last Saturday by Ashlee Brnjas.

In her fifth year as private trainer for the Colebrook Farm of her father, John Brnjas, the 30-year-old Ashlee Brnjas was married Saturday afternoon and put the icing on the wedding cake when Reconnected became her first stakes winner here in the $125,000 La Prevoyante.

“I can honestly tell you, I don’t really know which one I was more excited about,” Brnjas said. “I was walking down the aisle and literally half an hour later, I won the race.”

Mon, 09/12/2011 - 12:21

Los Alamitos: Freaky completes unprecedented sweep at age 6

Freaky became the first Quarter Horse to win all six of the major stakes for older horses offered at Los Alamitos when he edged Snitcher by a head in Sunday night’s $100,000 Go Man Go Handicap.

Freaky, a 6-year-old who was the world champion Quarter Horse of  2009, has also won the track’s Champion of Champions, the Los Alamitos Winter Championship, the Vessels Maturity, the Spencer Childers California Breeders Championship Handicap, and the Robert Boniface Los Alamitos Invitational Championship. Overall, he is an eight-time stakes winner at Los Alamitos.

Mon, 09/12/2011 - 12:12

Woodbine: Oh Canada preps for Ontario Derby against elders

Michael Burns
Oh Canada will prep for the Ontario Derby in an optional claimer Wednesday night.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Oh Canada, one of the leading 3-year-olds at Woodbine, will prep for the Sept. 24 Ontario Derby in a second-level optional $62,500 claimer here Wednesday night.

Oh Canada will meet older opposition for the first time in the seven-furlong sprint. He took his season opener April 16 in the six-furlong Woodstock Stakes and then wound up third three weeks later in the rapidly run Queenston Stakes over seven furlongs.

Mon, 09/12/2011 - 12:09

Northlands: Shorter distance should benefit Boonstock

Boonstock should appreciate the move back to a sprint when he runs in a $15,000 claiming race for 3-year-olds and up at Northlands Park on Wednesday. The 6 1/2-furlong sprint for nonwinners of two drew seven horses and goes as the sixth race.

Sun, 09/11/2011 - 21:59

Fairplex: Luckarack gets ideal trip in Jim Kostoff

BENOIT PHOTO
Luckarack, given a ground-saving ride by Agapito Delgadillo, takes the Jim Kristoff.

POMONA, Calif. – Luckarack posted a mild upset in the Jim Kostoff Stakes on Sunday at Fairplex Park, where a pick six carryover of $39,460 is up for grabs Wednesday on the twilight card. First post Wednesday is 4 p.m. Pacific.

The $50,000 Kostoff, a sprint for 3-year-olds, was not without controversy; jockeys Martin Pedroza and Christian Santiago-Reyes exchanged words while weighing out after the race.

Sun, 09/11/2011 - 21:50

Zia Park: Imco Spirit breaks six-furlong track record in Premiere Cup upset

Coady Photography/Jeff Coady
Imco Spirit completes six furlongs in 1:07.13 to score at 9-1 in the Premiere Cup Handicap.

Imco Spirit set a Zia Park track record Sunday, when he won the $100,000 Premiere Cup Handicap in a blazing 1:07.13 for six furlongs, easily erasing the previous record of 1:08.60. He won by four lengths over 2-5 favorite Native Ruler, while it was another neck back in third to Pack Your Bags.

The Premiere was the first stakes of the Zia Park meet that opened Saturday in Hobbs, N.M.

Sun, 09/11/2011 - 21:31

Hastings: Northern Causeway wins stretch duel by neck in British Columbia Derby

Four-Footed Fotos
Northern Causeway (9) outfights Jebrica to win the British Columbia Derby.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Northern Causeway might have been the smallest horse in the Grade 3, $200,000 British Columbia Derby, but he showed the most heart by holding off Jebrica to win the 1 1/8-mile feature.

Trained by Len Kasmerski, Northern Causeway paid $8.50 as the favorite in the 12-horse field.

Sun, 09/11/2011 - 21:00

Hastings: Baze guides Class Included to British Columbia Oaks victory

Four-Footed Fotos
Class Included gets a perfectly timed ride from Russell Baze in the British Columbia Oaks.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Russell Baze showed why he has won the most races in the world with a perfect ride aboard Class Included  in the $100,000 British Columbia Oaks at Hastings on Sunday.

Sun, 09/11/2011 - 18:45

Belmont pick six carryover of nearly $44,000 for Wednesday's card

There will be a pick six carryover of $43,687 entering Wednesday’s card at Belmont Park after the wager went unhit Sunday.

The winning sequence of 8-4-7-4-7-14 consisted of  Mr. Enrico ($56.80), Bold Warrior ($9.20), Somali Lemonade ($22.40), Compliance Officer ($5.80), Richmond County ($48.40), and Spina ($5.30). The consolation payout (5 of 6) returned $14,562.

The pick six will begin with race 4 (2:35 p.m. Eastern) and has five races scheduled for the turf including the $60,000 Jazzy Stakes.

Sun, 09/11/2011 - 18:09

Belmont: Compliance Officer takes fourth straight in Ashley Cole Handicap

Adam Coglianese/NYRA
Compliance Officer, claimed for $25,000 in May, collects his second straight stakes victory in the Ashley Cole Handicap.

Compliance Officer continued his ascension through the New York-bred turf division with a decisive 3 1/2-length victory in Sunday’s $100,000 Ashley T. Cole Handicap at Belmont Park.

 The win was the fourth straight for Compliance Officer since being claimed by owner Thomas LaMarca and trainer Bruce Brown for $25,000 in May. His wins have come in allowance races at six furlongs and seven furlongs, the West Point Stakes at Saratoga at 1 1/16 miles , and the Cole at 1 1/8 miles.